With This Ring
by Christy O'Neal
Summary: Riley finally gets a clue. Takes place in season 5 during the events of Shadow. B/S friendly.


TITLE: With This Ring AUTHOR: Christy FEEDBACK: Yes! Live for it. EMAIL: moneal@poboxes.com WEBPAGE: www.members.tripod.com/allaboutspike RATING: PG SPOILERS: No DISCLAIMERS: They're not mine. DISTRIBUTION: Just ask first DEDICATION: For Mezz, Chris, and Chen, the world's best betas.  
  
A/N: Takes place in season 5, shortly after Fool For Love, during the events of Shadow.  
  
"Riley," Buffy called from the bathroom where she was getting ready for their evening out. Having just learned her mom was sick, she really needed a break from the worry. One normal night out with her normal boyfriend. "Can you get my silver hoops? They're in the jewelry box on top of my dresser."  
  
"Sure thing." Riley stood up from the bed and walked over to the dresser. He rummaged through the jewelry box wondering how many pairs of silver hoops she might have and how he was ever going to find the right pair. He managed to extract one pair from the tangled mess when something caught his eye. It looked like a man's ring with a funny insignia on the top. He picked the ring up. Definitely a man's ring with a skull on it. Riley turned the ring over a couple of times studying it.  
  
*This seems like a strange thing for Buffy to have, he thought. Someone has to have given it to her. Someone important since she keeps it in her jewelry box. Her father? I don't know much about him; it could have been his when he was young. Doesn't really seem like Angel's style, what little I know of him. Which is more than I want to know.* Riley sighed and continued thinking. *Now evil Angel, could be his style. But then why would Buffy keep it? She doesn't have fond memories of him. And she wasn't with Parker long enough for him to have given it to her.* Riley clenched his jaw at the thought of Parker. How he would love to kick his ass, but he didn't do that kind of thing.  
  
He stared at the ring. There was something about it - something about the silver skull, something familiar. It was there, but he couldn't quite dredge it up. Shrugging, he continued his search for the perfect earrings for a movie followed by patrol.  
  
***  
  
When they arrived at the theater, Riley went to get the seats while Buffy got popcorn. That girl can really put away some popcorn, he thought as he sat down.  
  
Feeling something digging into his leg, he reached into his pocket to pull out the offending object. It was the ring. Strange, he didn't remember putting it in his pocket. The ring caught the light and made the eyes of the skull look menacing for a moment. Looking at it, he got the same familiar feeling he had gotten before. He knew he should recognize this ring. Seeing Buffy enter the theater, he shoved it back in his pocket. He waved her over and tried to put the ring out of his mind, but didn't quite succeed.  
  
About an hour into the movie, Riley cried out, "It's Spike's!" The woman sitting in front of them turned around and glared.  
  
Buffy looked at Riley like he'd grown a second head. "Huh?"  
  
"The ring, it's Spike's."  
  
"Again, huh?"  
  
"I just figured it out. I knew it was familiar," he said, mostly to himself.  
  
"Riley, what are you talking about?" The woman turned around again and this time shushed them.  
  
"Sorry," Buffy mumbled to the woman.  
  
Riley turned to Buffy, "Why do you have Spike's ring?" His voice was accusing. "Why did I see you wear it?"  
  
"I really don't know what you are talking about," she said sincerely as it hadn't clicked yet.  
  
He pulled the ring from his pocket. "This, I'm talking about this." He shoved the ring in her face. Buffy paled; then turned red. She recognized the ring. She just hoped Riley wouldn't figure out the rest. She had managed to put the humiliating engagement out of her mind and really didn't want to drag it all up with Riley.  
  
The woman turned around again. "Do you mind?" she said in a nasty tone. Riley grabbed Buffy's arm and dragged her from the theater. Once they were outside he dropped her arm. Buffy rubbed the spot he had been holding. His grip had been a little too firm.  
  
He whirled around to face her. "Spill it," he ordered.  
  
"I'm not some demon you're interrogating. You wanna try a different tone? And what are you doing anyway? Snooping, stealing from me?" Her tone got angrier as she went on. If she could play the injured party here, maybe he would let it go. Maybe he wouldn't realize.  
  
"Oh, God, you were engaged to Spike. That's why you have the ring. I remember, outside the dress shop." He looked at her with hurt in his eyes. "You were engaged to Spike?" He asked in a small voice.  
  
"No! Well, yeah. But no!" She looked upward and sighed. That just didn't come out right.  
  
"Buffy, I'm not in the mood for your games. I remember, you showed me the ring. You told me you were engaged. Tell me it isn't true. Tell me you weren't really engaged to him."  
  
"I was." She saw his jaw clench and hurried to explain. "But, it was a spell. Willow, you know how her spells always go wrong."  
  
"So, it was a spell?"  
  
"Yes," Buffy relaxed. OK, that wasn't too bad.  
  
"A spell that you and Spike would be engaged?"  
  
"Yes," she answered slowly. Hadn't they just gone over this?  
  
"Why would Willow put a spell on you to be engaged to Spike?"  
  
"She was upset because Oz had just left and she thought Spike was more important to me than she was." Uh oh, one look at Riley's face and she knew that wasn't the right answer. "I was looking for him because he had just escaped from the Initiative and I needed information from him. That's all, really."  
  
"Was it a spell to be in love?"  
  
"What? Of course, we were engaged." Buffy explained in a tone reserved for small children.  
  
"Buffy, the two things are totally different." Riley was exasperated. "I saw you. You were beaming. You were hopelessly in love with him. How could that be a spell?"  
  
"It was. I swear! I don't love Spike!" She exclaimed a little too forcibly. She quickly tried to cover by answering in a calmer tone. "I don't, really."  
  
It all made sense to him now. No wonder she had never loved him. He had always assumed it was Angel, but maybe not. Maybe it was Spike. It would explain so much. Why she had never staked him. Why she turned to him for help. Why she confided in him. Riley wasn't sure he could take it. Thinking she was still in love with Angel had been bad enough. At least he had a soul. All Spike had was a chip. He clenched his fists trying to maintain control. If there was one thing Riley Finn prided himself on, it was his control.  
  
Buffy saw him ball his fists and take a deep breath. It irritated her to no end that he was always so collected. She wished he would just let go sometimes. Yell, scream, show some real passion. She would love a knock down, drag out fight with him. She had tried baiting him, but it never worked. Being with someone so controlled was slowly driving her crazy.  
  
Riley let out his breath slowly and spoke in a low, hard voice. "First Angel, then Dracula, now Spike."  
  
She started to open her mouth to let him know Spike was before Dracula, but decided that really wasn't going to help her case.  
  
"Who else Buffy? I'm sensing a pattern here. Oz? Maybe Adam? Some other vampires I don't know about?"  
  
Buffy knew she should be angry, but felt panic instead. She couldn't lose him. He was her normal guy. Her proof that she wasn't drawn to the dark side. Her assurance that she didn't still remember the feelings Spike's kisses had awoken in her during their short engagement. Riley was her rock at a time when everything else in her life was falling apart. Plus, the gang actually approved. That was a first. She had to make this better. "It was only for 2 days."  
  
He wasn't listening. "No wonder you told him about your mom before me. No wonder he said you wouldn't mind him being in your room. He'd been there before hadn't he?"  
  
"Riley, no," she pleaded.  
  
"Hadn't he! Did you make love to him when you were engaged? No, I don't want to know."  
  
"Riley, please. Listen to me. It was a spell. I don't love him. I'm with you. You're my boyfriend, not Spike." She was begging, but she didn't care. She couldn't have another man leave her.  
  
He looked at her, sighed deeply and spoke. His voice was back to normal. "It's OK Buffy. It will all be OK. I just need some time alone. I'll call you tomorrow." He started to walk away.  
  
Buffy grabbed his arm, "Riley, please."  
  
He looked down at her and gave a tight smile. "Really, it will be OK. Just give me until tomorrow."  
  
Buffy watched him walk away. She was terrified, but if she was totally honest with herself she was partially relieved too. Trying to be so perfect all the time was wearing her down. A night away, to just be herself would be welcomed. First Glory, then her mom, and now this, it was more than she could handle. She turned and went to patrol. As Buffy made her way to the cemetery she wished Spike didn't have that chip. She really needed a good fight and no one gave better than he did. 


End file.
